Let me start with why I gave this place at least a few stars - the food is TERRIFIC! I had a ginger soup that was fabulous followed by a cheese plate that was the steal of the menu, in my opinion. I had a cookie to go that topped it all off. All else on the menu is rather overpriced, befitting the geographic location of this quaint establishment. The reason I gave it only three stars is due to the service. We were served with an air of condescension and I asked repeatedly for water, silverware, bread, dressing, etc. I felt like one of those nagging patrons, and yet I wasn't requesting anything unusual. If you need to purchase a card or gift, drop in to judge for yourself. read more

Remember the famous "Soup Nazi" episode of "Seinfeld"? A similar service experience is alive and well in the hamlet of Washington Depot, Connecticut. This is not to say that the Pantry's food isn't good; they offer a variety of freshly cooked meats, interesting side salads and above average deserts. In fact, much of it would be well worth a visit if it weren't for the pompous and uncaring attitude of the restaurant's proprietor. Shin E's description of "an air of condescension" is totally accurate if not an understatement. I've been a resident of the Washington area for years and have dined and purchased take out food at The Pantry many times. It's unfortunate that the restaurant suffers from the bad attitude of its owner, who obviously doesn't realize that a lack of competition is not an excuse for poor service. No food, no matter how good, is worth enduring rude, indifferent, arrogant or dismissive behavior on the part of a restaurant's owner or staff. A walk around the corner to the GW Tavern or a short drive to the neighboring town of Litchfield both offer great food without the attitude. Spend the extra 2 minutes on foot or the extra $1 in gas...it's worth it, and you'll be pleased you skipped The Pantry. read more

The Pantry truly is one of my favorite places on earth. The food is divine, and the service is spectacular. But most of all I love how welcome and grounded I feel while shopping and dining at this hidden treasure. read more

If you're looking for fine dining and nice atmosphere, go elsewhere. But if you're looking for outstanding gourmet food that you can take with you, with incredible choices of things like cheeses from around the world, homemade breads and exquisite cheesecake-- and a place to buy gifts for your snobby relatives, then the Pantry is perfect. Hint: Bring wads of cash. read more

What great service! The clam chowder was seasoned to perfection .Fresh made chic salad w apricots and almonds in a wrap was just as hoped and more also the fresh roasted turkey sandwich on freshly made wheat bread swiss cheese lett./tom was moist and tender. Accompanied by a carrot salad and some coleslaw .What more would one need for lunch other than to Highly recommend The Pantry read more

If you have the good fortune to be anywhere near Washington, CT, The Pantry should be on your itinerary for a meal. The service and staff could not be more competent or friendly and the food is truly amazing with a new menu each day. Diverse food choices with fresh ingredients and all prepared very creatively. read more

The Pantry is a warm and welcoming country cafe nestled among shelves of gourmet food items and a wonderful selection of baked goods, salads and sandwiches for takeout The owners are down to earth and friendly, frequently greeting you and seating you for lunch. I live in the area and eat at the Pantry frequently. I especially recommend the chicken salad platter (constantly changing and consistently good) and the smoke salmon sandwich (delicious!). read more

The Pantry serves very high quality food to a demanding clientele. The food is superb. You will be hard pressed to find better prepared foods, soups, salads and sandwiches anywhere. The owners are almost always present, overseeing the restaurant operation with loving pride. They are welcoming and always friendly. It is always a treat to go to the Pantry. I love it here. read more

The Pantry is the go to market and restaurant in Washington Depot for great salads, sandwiches, baked goods, cheese.....all of extremely high quality. The Pantry is a community gem, and I am thankful they are in Washington. read more

After day of hiking, we stopped in here to grab a quick bite. There's a counter that you order from, and although the employees are rather nice they didn't really acknowledge you until it's your turn. I would have at least liked someone to catch my eye and let me know they saw me. Most of the places a gift shop selling everything from ceramic ware to kitchen gadgets to preserves and jams. Interspersed among this are some small tables. We each got the veggie sandwich, on whole grain bread. Came with lettuce, tomatoes, an onion relish (which was rather tasty), cucumbers, avocado, and cheese. It had a seasoned mayonnaise on it, which was delicious, but it sort of overpowered the sandwich. It also made the sandwich fillings rather slippery so they slid out of the bread as you're eating it. We enjoyed the sandwiches on a nice picnic table out in front, and it was the perfect end to a great day. I would definitely go back, although I'd like to see a little bit more value. read more

This place is great for picking up a quick sandwich or a nice little lunch. Everyone is super nice, the atmosphere is great and the food is awesome. Definitely recommend it if you're in the Depot. read more

Absolutely outstanding. Great service fresh quality food. Loved it. Highly recommended.

A CT classic. Delicious lunch menu, bread baked on the premises, and they cater, too. The dining area can feel a bit claustrophobic (they sell kitchenware), but the smoked salmon sandwich does NOT disappoint. read more

Great food-soups, entrees, salads and sandwiches, freshly baked breads and muffins - innovative menu all freshly prepared on site. The lasagna is perfect along with the chicken meatloaf and all the soups. It's worth the trip up to beautiful Washington. read more

I wish I could use The Pantry to cater all my parties. The owner was awesome to work with. He interviewed me and really listened to what I wanted (even though I didn't know myself). He came up with the most amazing menu which included: Chicken Saltimbocca Eggplant Parmesan Garlic Broccolini & Roasted Cauliflower Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Orzo Mixed Greens with Baby Arugula, Dried Cranberries, Maytag blue and Balsamic 1 Chocolate Indulgence Cake 1 Peach Apple Crisp Every morsel was delicious an all the guests raved about it all. He even helped me with all the details including suggesting disposable bamboo plate, rented glassware and a server. I thought the price was reasonable considering the quality of the food. If you get a chance you should try out Michael's catering services. read more

Great place to stop and pick up a take out. I always get my picnic lunches here, when hiking steep rock. Great variety of sandwiches and baked goods. read more

Absolutely the best lunch ever and the shoppe with all the unique items is a plus, shopping without pain. I bought a olive wood pepper mill and the most lovely large French platter for dear friends. If you want a delicious lunch served by Nancy and prepared by Mike and wonderful shopping, run don't walk to the Pantry. Marion D read more

Though the food here was fine the service is the worst I have experienced anywhere ever. My wife and I went in to get a couple of sandwiches to go. I made the mistake of ordering a latte which took the girl that was helping me 20 minutes to make. While we were waiting for her to make the coffee (she needed to heat the machine?) we tried to order a sandwich for my wife but the 3 other girls standing there doing nothing said that it wasn't their job but the job of the girl who took my order for the coffee. We literally had to wait for the girl who disappeared to make the coffee return so that we could give her the order for the extra sandwich and then wait for her to make it. There was no manager on site to share our experience with so I decided to write this. Make sure you have 45 minutes to spare and are in NO hurry if you go to this place for food. There is NO communication (if they told us it would take this long to make the coffee we never would have ordered it) and it is amazing that they survive as a business. Frankly it isn't the fault of these girls but of the owner/manager who gives them such bad/no training. read more

The Pantry has excellent high-end Gourmet Deli items for lunch and dinner Main and sides... but they also have a great Gourmet section of encoutremonts in addition to Gourmet kitchen items... whether it's quiches, salmon, pasta, fresh baguettes, desserts or specialty items they have a wide selection and everything is excellent! And Zoe the manager is knowledgeable and extremely helpful. read more

From Manager Zoe's wry sense of humor, to the glorious chicken soup, this was a welcome find (sent here by my cousin, a nun at a nearby Abbey). As a visitor from Boston, I enjoyed Pantry two weekends in a row: a tad pricey but worth it. And you can "shop" for things you didn't know you needed, while your food is prepared: a win / win. read more

the quality and preparation of food are quite good at the pantry, and, unlike some other reviewers, i've always found the staff to be both friendly and helpful. on the downside, the prices are high, the place is closed on sundays (which is a bit bizarre in a town that is substantially populated by weekenders), and the decor is kind of estrogen-heavy. read more

The food here is acceptable to good, especially the desserts. It's the arrogance and condescension of the staff that leave a bitter taste in your mouth. To me, it's not worth putting up with the people in order to get a pretty good sandwich or cookie. I do not live in the area, but have relatives there and visit often. On my last trip, I personally witnessed one member of the waitstaff (who I think might be the owner) treat a customer with a level of disdain usually reserved for when you have to scrape dog excrement off of your shoe. It's too bad that the town does not have more options to compete with the Pantry -- if it did, perhaps the staff would not be so quick to mistreat their customers, and perhaps the customers would not be so quick to go back. In the meantime, my advice is stay away, unless you want a side of attitude to go with your tuna salad. read more

Wish it was as good as I had hoped . How can you bake a tasteless coconut chocolate brownie??? Cute little space.

Cute place, friendly waitstaff, good food but expensive. I'm only giving 2 stars because I went in with my Mom who was hosting my bridal shower. We met with the owner and came up with a wonderful menu and were awaiting a call with pricing and final details and never heard back even after a follow Up phone call. read more

Been going here for years and the standard is always the same. High. It's a quaint little cafe with kitchen goods for sale around. I like that concept for a cafe, someone else derided it. But it's not purporting to be a Michelin star restaurant. The items are very useful and pleasant to look at. I've bought many a thing I didn't know I needed until I saw it there. The food is great, always fresh and inventive, the bread and muffins are outstanding. Nancy and Mike the owners are lovely and always come to greet you or hob nob a while sometimes. They seem to want to get to know everyone who passes the threshold to their store/cafe. The soups, by the way, are always delicious and inventive. For us, there is no other place to go in the area, and we wish it would open on Sunday's since we are sometimes in the area then. Frankly, nothing else in that town comes close. Also, unless you are planning on a formal dinner, no other cafe exists in the whole of that part of litchfield county. So it's a good thing it's so good. read more

The best chicken soup I have ever had and the best my son has ever had (he told me apologetically). I will forever aspire to produce stock this rich in my own kitchen. A smoked salmon sandwich was also noteworthy - generous portion and excellent, interesting accompaniments. Everything here is a winner. read more

Consistently delicious food. Cheerful, gracious service. I rely on them for take-out and for excellent catering.